This invention relates generally to thermoacoustic technology, and is particularly advantageous for employing thermoacoustic technology to generate refrigeration.
A thermoacoustic engine is a device that employs a tube-containing hot and cold end heat exchangers thermally linked by a stack of parallel plates or by a regenerator matrix to convert thermal energy to acoustic or pressure energy. The work of the acoustic energy can be used to produce mechanical work, electricity or refrigeration. The thermal energy provided to the thermoacoustic engine is typically not fully used in the thermoacoustic engine to generate the acoustic energy. A system for effectively employing the remnant thermal energy from a thermoacoustic engine would be highly desirable.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a system for employing remnant thermal energy from a thermoacoustic engine.
The above and other objects, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure, are attained by the present invention, one aspect of which is:
A method for employing heat energy comprising:
(A) providing heat from a hot energy source to a thermoacoustic engine, and employing said heat in the thermoacoustic engine to produce acoustic energy;
(B) using heat from the hot energy source to produce an energy delivery fluid having a temperature within the range of from 350 to 750xc2x0 C., and cooling the energy delivery fluid to a temperature within the range of from 100 to 400xc2x0 C. by providing heat from the energy delivery fluid to a first heat sink; and
(C) passing the cooled energy delivery fluid to a second heat sink and providing heat from the cooled energy delivery fluid to the second heat sink.
Another aspect of the invention is:
A method for employing heat energy comprising:
(A) employing heat from a hot energy source to produce hot energy delivery fluid having a temperature within the range of from 500 to 1200xc2x0 C., and providing heat from the hot energy delivery fluid to a thermoacoustic engine to produce acoustic energy, said provision of heat resulting in the energy delivery fluid having a temperature within the range of from 350 to 750xc2x0 C.;
(B) cooling the energy delivery fluid to a temperature within the range of from 100 to 400xc2x0 C. by providing heat from the energy delivery fluid to a first heat sink; and
(C) passing the cooled energy delivery fluid to a second heat sink and providing heat from the cooled energy delivery fluid to the second heat sink.
As used herein the term xe2x80x9cheat sinkxe2x80x9d means a colder media or process which cools a hotter energy delivery fluid.